Tag Archives: Temple of Poi

Lantzville-based contemporary circus and fire dance troupe VestaFire Entertainment has been chosen to perform in San Francisco’s 8th annual Fire Expo on April 27 2013.

The Fire Expo, produced by Temple of Poi, is one of the most renowned festivals in the fire performance community. It started as an illegal renegade show on a street corner in San Francisco in April of 2005. Hundreds showed up to watch that first performance and it has since become the biggest legal fire show in North America, bringing in crowds of over 3000 people. The festival is fully publicly funded by Kickstarter donations.

In December 2012, VestaFire responded to a call for artists, and sent in a video audition. Then, in mid-January they received the news that the troupe was accepted for not one, but two performances in the show. “We are so honoured and incredibly excited to have been chosen to perform at the Fire Expo. Isa ‘GlitterGirl’ Isaacs is one of the icons in our field,” said Karina Strong, troupe co-ordinator. Isaacs is the co-ordinator of the Expo and founder of Temple of Poi. Strong, along with performer Katlan Irvine, will perform a fire hoop and fire staff duet, and Irvine is slated to perform a solo with fire poi. “For Kat to get offered a solo spot on that stage is amazing,” said Strong.

VestaFire began in 2010, and is central Vancouver Island’s only professional circus and fire dance troupe, providing spectacular entertainment for corporate and private parties, costumed stilters for festivals, and teaching circus themed summer camps. They travelled to Thailand in 2012 with Spark! Circus, performing in hospitals, refugee camps and orphanages, and will be performing this July at both Vancouver Island Music Festival, and the International Busking Festival in Victoria.